21 shots and 63% possession drive Lyon to a 3-1 win

Lyon make possession count in 3-1 victory

Lyon defeated Auxerre 3-1 at Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Friday, September 4, with the home side leading 2-1 at half-time. The result extended Lyon’s unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 regular season after their previous win and draw, while Auxerre remain without a point after three consecutive defeats in their listed pre-match form.

Three goals settle the match

Lyon opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Felix Bacher converted a move assisted by Ernest Nuamah. Three minutes later, Zachary Athekame doubled the advantage, with Loïs Openda providing the assist. Auxerre responded before the interval through Cameron Archer, whose 42nd-minute goal reduced the deficit to one and left the visitors within reach at half-time.

The decisive moment came eight minutes after the restart. Nuamah added Lyon’s third goal in the 53rd minute, assisted by Pavel Šulc, restoring the two-goal cushion. Lyon then managed the remainder of the match without allowing another goal, securing a 3-1 final score.

Lyon control the numbers

The statistics reflected a clear advantage for Paulo Fonseca’s 4-3-3. Lyon had 63% possession and completed 445 accurate passes from 517 total, compared with Auxerre’s 230 accurate passes from 290. The hosts also produced 21 shots to Auxerre’s eight, including 14 efforts from inside the box and seven on target. Auxerre registered four inside-the-box shots and three shots on goal.

The scoreline did not fully reflect Lyon’s volume of chances, although Auxerre’s goalkeeper made five saves to keep the visitors competitive. Lyon also won the corner count 9-5. The teams were level on yellow cards, with Arthur Piedfort booked for Auxerre in the 26th minute, followed by Bacher in the 62nd, Rayan Mandengue in the 68th and Tyler Morton in the 77th. Neither side received a red card.

Nuamah leads Lyon’s performance

Nuamah was the standout performer, earning an 8.1 rating in 67 minutes. He scored Lyon’s third goal, assisted Bacher’s opener and recorded one shot on target and one key pass. Athekame also made a significant contribution with a goal, three key passes and four tackles across the full 90 minutes.

Table position after the result

In the listed Ligue 1 standings for the current round, Lyon are fourth with four points from two games, a record of one win, one draw and no defeats, and a goal difference of plus two. Auxerre are 18th with zero points from two games, two defeats and a goal difference of minus five. Lyon’s victory therefore reinforces their position near the top of the table, while Auxerre’s losing sequence leaves them at the bottom of the standings provided.